Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-08-18
Mr.. AND MRS. BOWSER.
Somewhat Exasperatng Experience
with Three Gangs of Painters.


ticed him looking at the outside of the
house from the front and back, ac-
companied by strange men, and from
my open window / heard them talking
about modern colors," meadow
green" and other mysterious things.
1t was not until found board in the
back yard with half dozen colors of
fresh paint on it that suspected any
thing. Then l asked Mr., Bowser:
"You can't be thinking of having
any painting done around here this
spring."
II think the cornice ought to be
touched up little"
"But we had every thing painted
year ago, and you said it would stand
for ten years. "
IF l said so it will, but the style of
color has changed this year, and l
guess I'll have man for two or
three days"
"And you'll have us all in muss
for the next month. Mr.. Bowser, can't
you let this house alone for day or
two?''
He gave me look of deepest re-
proach and turn away. had begun
to feel sorry for my expression when a
wagon load of poles drove into the al
ley. 1t had not yet unloaded when an
another wagon loaded with paint-be-
daubed ladders drove up. Then came
dray on which there were kegs and
buckets and cans and brushes, and l
was compelled to realize that Mr. Bow
ser was going to paint. The cook had
also seen the outfit, and she presently
came in to me and asked:
"Are you going to have the painters
around hereP"
"Yes, Hannah, Mr.. Bowser pro-
poses to touch up the cornice little. u"
"And he may touch up an intelli-
gence Office while he is about it, for l
won't stay! We've been papering,
cleaning, putting down carpets, sod
ding the back yard, oiling the wood
work and doing something or other for
the last six months, and I'm tired out.
1t is now thirty-one seconds to five
o'clock. At sharp five l leave the
| housed"
She was as good as her word, and
when | told Mr.. Bowser of her going,
and related the cause, he Indignantly
replied:
Nov I'll paint the barn and fence
to boot-see if don't! I'll show that
girl that she can't run this family while
our name continues to be Bowser."
Next morning the painters went to
work. That is, they didn't exactly go
to work. They came and sat around in
the barn and smoked and some of 'em
feebly stirred away at the paint-pots,
and some more of 'em looked at the
house and inquired of each other when
Mr.. Bowser got out of the lunatic asy-
lum. Next day the force of painters
was increased by three, and they got
two ladders up, pounded some putty
into three or four nail holes and stirred
up seven or eight colors of paint.
Along towards supper time one of the
crowd toiled up one Of the ladders in a
weary, Respondent way, iabbed at one
of the brackets with brushful of paint,
and the others stood off to examine the
effect and give their criticisms. 1t
seemed to be very delicate operation.
Some of them kept walking backwards
to get better squirt until they walked
out of sight, and others had to sit down
on the grass and light their pipes and
rest their eyes by looking at the hired
girl next door.
On the third day Mr.. Bowser re-
manned at home, and the men dug
holes all around the house to set theil
poles, got up scaffold to work on and
almost finished painting one bracket.
They might have wholly finished it il
they had agreed on colors. Some o.
'em wanted the bracket of lilac
color, with the background dull
drab, and others stuck for something
more lively or more aesthetic. Mr.
Bowser said he would consult the ole
masters, and seven drops of rain de
scended from the heavens just in tim,
to let the men off at four o'clock
When they had gone / found sever
windows smeared with paint, pane o
glass broken and the knobs of 81,
doors touched up" in the latest Pari
style.
The painters are with us yet. No
those painters, but some others. TIL,
first gang lasted two days. Then Mr.
Bowser suddenly asked the man wht
seemed to be the foremsn-at least h,
loafed away the most time-what the,
were doing to earn their money
This isn't job to be rushedr
calmly replied the man. IF we SHOULD
get one of these seventeen delicate col
ors in place of another your hous'
would be ruined"
Mr.. Bowser reduced the delicat,
colors to fourteen, and hired a new
gang. In the course of week thi
new lot managed to plant forty-eigh
big daubs on the penciled brick work
break three windows, daub over tire,
oiled doors and ruin half our clothes
and Mr.. Bowser advised them to turn
to landscape work. The third gang i
still with us. All the scaffolding ha
finally been put in place, and the lad
ders leaned up against the house, an,
all the neighborhood covered witt
paint-pots and brushes. When tn
brackets had been finished Mr.. Bowse
concluded that the window casing
ought to be touched up to correspond
Then it was the hoods and porches an,
steps. Next week it will be the fence
and the barn. Seven different ladie
have walked up the freshly-painte,
front steps to call on me, but wake,
/ I1xx-v, r.-ffk.r,4 Al